


a promise to keep

by charjace



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: AU, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:49:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24378271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charjace/pseuds/charjace
Summary: what if, varian didn't cause an uprising for when rapunzel and the gang come back
Relationships: Rapunzel & Varian (Disney)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 55





	a promise to keep

It was cold down here, in the dungeons - though, why would it be warm down here where all the criminals dwell. No one cares for the bad guys, no one checks on them. They just come by to see everyone is in their cells and to feed them. No blankets to keep them warm on those extra cold nights, and there really isn’t a care for the broken young teenager who was thrown into a cell. His only true companion was Ruddiger, who was his only source of warmth. He was in the cell alone with only his only loyal friend by his side in this cage.

His anger, it’s burning him out and he can’t hold it anymore and the guilt that laid underneath is gnawing at his heart and head. It’s biting, drawing it blood and spilling out into his body, spreading everywhere. Many nights, he’s spent crying himself to sleep.

Crying because of the guilt, because of the aching he feels deep inside of himself. The heart wrenching truth is clear as day, _no one_ really was ever there for him - and no one ever will be, he is doomed to rot in this hell of a cell. Thoughts of his father, forever encased in the amber at their home, while he falls apart alone, so far away from him. He’s lost track of time, he can hear the whispers from the other criminals in the place. Guards come and go as they change shifts, prisoners come and go as they get transferred.

Curled up on the wooden bed, he held Ruddiger close to him as the realisation that it’s probably been over a year, he’s a year older but didn’t even know his birthday had passed. Not like it would have mattered anyway - he was locked away, with no way to celebrate. Tears were filling his eyes, and he tries to choke back a sob. The other prisoners don’t like it when he cries, so he tries to keep it as quiet as he can. Silent tears falling down his face and he feels Ruddiger’s little paw soothingly petting at his cheek, a way to tell him that he was there.

“Varian?” A familiar voice says his name, but he doesn’t believe it - how can he. She hasn’t been down here since he has, why would she suddenly be here now, and for _him_. “Varian.” It’s soft this time, worry lining her words and he can’t take it.  


“Why?!” He snaps, a broken sob falling past his lips as he sits himself up to see her standing there. “Stop it! Stop pretending okay Princess. You _don’t_ care, no one does.”  


Oh how he _hates_ how his voice breaks completely as he let those last words spill pass. Ruddiger was in his lap, worried for his owner, his friend. The young boy watches as the Princess unlocks his cell, stepping into it. He wouldn’t be surprised if a guard was nearby, _ready_ just in case he attacked her once again but he’s too tired. Too tired of it all, he just wants his father back - that is all he wants anymore but he can’t have that, that much is clear to him.

“I didn’t know, my father, he told me he was going to -,” She says, but stops because no matter her excuse, it won’t change the fact that Quirin was still stuck in the amber, and Varian was still stuck in the dungeon. “I have a way to free your father. I managed to talk my father into letting me take you with me, I knew it would be something you would want to be there for. You don’t have to trust me, but, I promise this will work.”

“Don’t!”  


“What?”  


“Don’t you promise anything. Look where the last one you made me got me,” The words were slightly venomous off of his tongue, that anger that died down starting to glow from a stray ember at the word _promise_ from the Princess’ lips. “Stop promising me anything.”  


“Fair,” She says with a soft sigh, she looks out the of the cell, probably to the guard that was there to keep watch of their interaction. The features on her face falter, sadness and worry sketched upon that young face. “My father is allowing you out. It’s not forever, just for this.”

A guard comes in with a set of cuffs, and he isn’t surprised - of course they couldn’t allow him to ‘roam free’ even at the hands of the Princess, but granted - he _has_ tried to killed her and ruin her life in a huge fit of rage and desperation. Without a word, he stands up - holding out his hands towards the guard. Ruddiger climbed up into his shoulders, a comfort for him and the raccoon. The guard put the cuffs on him and he dropped his arms down.

The guard first left, and he followed after with the Princess’ behind him. At the main entrance of the dungeon, Eugene was waiting for them. He switched places with the guard as they walked out of the place. Walking through the castle, he could see those judgement in those eyes as they went by. Casting his eyes to the ground to avoid those looks. A hand gently wraps around his arm, giving it a squeeze as if a way to comfort him - he takes a quick glance behind him to see the Princess give him a small smile, like she was trying to reassure him, and probably herself that this was okay, that she was making a good choice.

Riding to his home was a quiet one on his part, Rapunzel tried to talk to him but he couldn’t bring it in himself to answer her. He just wanted to see if what she has planned would work, if it would free his father. He wants it so bad and the thought of his father being free is such a huge hope he doesn’t want to hope so big, but god his heart is reaching out for it that he almost forgets that once his father is free he’ll be once again thrown into a cell once again. He’ll be torn away from his father once again.

His home feels cold and unlived in, he can see the dust that has started to settle over his things. He can see one of his _Adventures of Flynnigan Rider_ in the corner of his eye covered with a thin sheet of dust. It’s like no one has bothered to step foot into his home.

Down to where his father is encased, no matter how much time he’s spent away from it, the image is burned into the back of his eyes. He see’s it every time he goes to sleep, his nightmares are plagued by his father screaming for his help as he gets trapped.

He has to watch as the Princess wraps her hair around amber, Eugene came in with a bucket filled with water because they needed it apparently.

“Are you sure about this Blondie?” Worry in his voice as he asked the question.  


“I made a promise, I need to fill it,” She replies, “You know what needs to happen if I can’t stop it.”  


He nods his head and steps aside, clutching at the bucket of water. Rapunzel holding on tight to her hair starts to cite an incantation that sound similar to the one she had done when he had hurt his head - but the words were different this time. From his spot just in front of the amber, he can see as the blonde hair turns black, watch as the amber starts to melt as the blackness spreads through the long, long hair.

A gasp for air as his father’s head is free makes tears form in his eyes, his father was free. The amber melting away, and he can faintly hear Eugene begging for Rapunzel to snap out of it as he rushes to his father’s side as he collapses out of the yellow substance that was now pooling at their feet. The letter in his hand falling into it, now no longer able to be read.

If his hands weren’t cuffed together, he would be wrapping his arms around his father but if all he could get was just kneeling in front of his father, his father whose chest was raising and falling.

“Kid,” Eugene’s voice called him back, his head snapping to look at the older man. Kneeling in front of him, Eugene grabs hold of his cuffed hands - quickly picking the lock. “This doesn’t mean we trust you, after what you’ve done but you deserve a proper reunion Kid.”  


Tears fell down his face and with quick movements, he is enveloping his father in a hug. Crying into his father’s shoulders, whispering apologies and _i miss you’s._ Feeling his father returning the hug, made him cry harder he was wanting this to last as long as he could.

Pulling away, Varian couldn’t help but ask, “I need to know, what did that letter say.”

“I’m proud of you. I’m sorry I never showed you it, or told you, but I’ve always been proud of you.”  


“Varian… we have to go,” The Princess says, and Varian stands up, wiping at his eyes before lifting his arms up, and Eugene cuffs his hands again.  


His father is confused and demands to know what is going on, Varian says it’s a long story as he follows the Princess and her boyfriend out as his father follows them, watching as his son is taken away from him.


End file.
